


Of Tea and pillows

by raven_lore



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-15
Updated: 2009-11-15
Packaged: 2017-10-02 21:58:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_lore/pseuds/raven_lore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A conversation between Elizabeth and Teyla</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Tea and pillows

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the Pegasus B universe created on livejournal by troyswann
> 
> Big thanks to maraceles for the excellent beta job.

"You look troubled," Teyla said.

Elizabeth almost laughed at the understatement. She knew the other woman was just trying to offer comfort, but it still felt a little bit like prying.

"I didn't sleep well," Elizabeth told her. She found herself needing to take a deep breath to steady herself. The salty air surrounding Atlantis reminded Elizabeth of weekend trips to the ocean back on Earth, of walking down the waterline as Sam ran in front of them, zigzaging in and out of the incoming waves. It reminded her of Simon by her side.

"I miss Earth," Elizabeth finally confided.

Teyla nodded reassuringly. "That's understandable."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Is there a place that you miss?"

Teyla turned to look out, toward the horizon. Her eyes were distant. "I miss the place where my father showed me my first tea plant," she said slowly. "It wasn't far away from our last village..."

Teyla trailed off. Maybe she really did understand, Elizabeth thought to herself.

"I was seven years old," continued Teyla after a few minutes, her voice soft and lost in memory. "My father woke me up before dawn, and silently, without waking my mother, we left the house. He led me to this place...it was beautiful. And secret--there was no track to reach it, and without knowing where to look, one would have found it almost impossible to find. My father used to tell me that it was fitting, that a place so beautiful, so special, somehow had to be hidden."

Teyla turned to Elizabeth, their eyes meeting only for a moment. Elizabeth understood the unspoken message: the unspoken link between that special place and Atlantis, as well as the meaning of Teyla's father's words. In a galaxy where the Wraith raged, the most beautiful things had to be kept secret. The sadness of that touched Elizabeth, and she closed her eyes against it briefly.

"Then we took a few leaves," Teyla continued quietly, and Elizabeth turned back to her. "Merely enough for our breakfasts, and then we returned home. My mother was unhappy--she had not known of my father's plan, and she had been frightened for us. But then we made tea..." Teyla smiled bittersweetly. "The aroma of it filled the room. It is one of the most peaceful memories of my entire life."

"Each morning before dawn, your people drink a stout tea to brace themselves for the coming day," Elizabeth said, suddenly remembering the little bit of Intel from the first report log she had read in Atlantis.

Teyla smiled once again. Her voice, when she spoke, was very gentle. "It was my father who began this custom."

The sound of the waves, breaking against the city below the balcony, lulled them for a few moments. They both missed so much, feared so many things. It was useless to try and hide from it--the only way to survive was to acknowledge the dangers and go on as best as they could.

"I miss my pillow," Elizabeth said abruptly, trying to lighten the mood. Then she smiled wryly. "Though I doubt stepping through the gate with a pillow under my arm would have made the best impression."

Teyla's eyes glinted in response. "If allowed, I suspect that many of your people would have brought even more childish things."

A sudden vision flashed through Elizabeth's mind--her mission members emerging through the gate with various teddy bears and lucky blankets held tightly under their arms. Even Rodney. Maybe especially Rodney. "They certainly act as if that would fit their ages, don't they?" she said wryly.

The door suddenly wooshed open before Teyla could answer her. Peter's head poked out to stare at them.

"Colonel O'Neill and his team are ready for debriefing," he said.

"Thanks, Peter," Elizabeth replied calmly. "I'll be right there."

Peter nodded and turned back, the door closing as soon as he stepped away from it.

"Gotta go," Elizabeth shrugged towards the door. "I'll see you at dinner?"

Teyla nodded. "In the meantime," she said, and her eyes were smiling, a gleeful malice shining in them. "I'll go to the infirmary and see how Doctor Beckett's patient is doing." .

"Of course," Elizabeth answered, shaking her head in disbelief. Her voice was wry. "You haven't given up on him, have you?"

"I'm not one to give up easily," Teyla said with determination, arching an amused brow. "I'll see you later."

With a final bow of her head, she left Elizabeth alone.

Elizabeth turned back to stare out at the ocean a moment longer.

She allowed herself to think of Earth, one last time. She missed it, and she was scared--there was no sense in denying it. But she also loved the adventure that was unfolding in front of them. She liked the people that she was sharing it with, the teenage regression included.

A moment later, she walked into the briefing room, completely focused on what they would tell her.

On the balcony, her melancholy stayed behind, staring out at the ocean.


End file.
